top of page

Are puzzle interviews effective? Here’s what you need to know!

A puzzle is a fun, open-ended way to assess a candidate’s thinking. While for some candidates, it may be the best way to show their tricks, some believe it is related to the job role they signed up for!


These days, many tech companies use a interview puzzles, including riddles and lateral-thinking challenges, to hire employees. Well, are they effective?


Today, we will look at the reasons why choosing a puzzle will void a company’s hiring pipeline.


7 reasons why a puzzle for interview is a buzzkill


Having a puzzle for interview will only show how good a candidate is at solving it!

Though, it will not lead the recruiters to find out how well they’re fit for the job role. Here are seven reasons why companies should stop using puzzle interviews to help save time.


Puzzles don’t link to the job


Usually, puzzles don't represent the job in its truest sense. It could appear like a good way to find the candidate’s skills, but in reality, it's only an add-on. The main reason why puzzles for interviews are off-goal is because anyone who indulges in books and the internet would know how to crack a puzzle. It’s always best to ask the candidate about their expertise, their projects, and other job-related questions to analyse their skillset.


Puzzles waste time


No lie, puzzles do consume a lot of time for both the candidate and the recruiter. Both the candidate and the recruiter will have a busy schedule, and wasting time on a tricky puzzle that takes hours is pointless. That very time can be used to ask various other questions that will help the recruiter make a final decision.


Additionally, experienced candidates might find the puzzle interviews disturbing, which in turn can lead to further problems. The candidates might feel the company’s hiring strategy is a low-curve and that in turn will make the hiring team’s reputation go down as well.


Biased opinions emerge


There is a higher chance of recruiters judging the personality of a candidate based on their puzzle-solving approach. While candidates might be excelling in skills appropriate for the job role, their puzzle solving techniques can be rough.


Imagine a recruiter giving such a candidate a puzzle, and when the candidate takes hours to complete, the recruiter might judge the capability of the candidate. This is why puzzles are not enough to determine a candidate’s skillset continue reading...

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


Drop Me a Line, Let Me Know What You Think

Thanks for submitting!

© 2023 by Train of Thoughts. Proudly created with Wix.com

bottom of page